A GrassCity blade started a retail company that builds aeroponic clone machines and Hydroponic systems for indoor grow operations. He asked if I would test the clone machine and give an honest assessment. Most of my sponsored tests go unpublished unless they are sure the outcome will be favorable. But the guys at Golden Grow seemed pretty confident that their product would stand up to my uncensored criticism. As some of you know, I teach folks to build their own clone machines and DWC systems online and in real life. But I do realize that not all of you are handy and have the love or time to DIY. So I give you the "Golden Grow 48-Site Aeroponic Cloning System". Retail photo: This is the basic system that retails for $189.95. It has an upgrade that will transform the same unit into a complete grow system (I am testing it as well). It came to my doorstep in a plain box: Inside the box was two other boxes. One with the optional grow machine lid and the other containing the base unit and all the components: Also included inside the base unit was a set of instructions (available on the website as well https://www.goldengrow.com/golden-grow-aeroponic-combo-system-manual/ ), neoprene discs (brick of 60), green grommets (a set of open and a set of closed for the side of the base), and pump literature: I loved the spray manifold and the EZ-Clone mister heads. All attached to a very strong pump. The machine with lid measured about 14.5" high x 14.5" wide x 18" long: Ok, let's get to testing....... I read the instruction and talked to Golden Grow about any parameters they wanted to set for the test. They told me to use the machine as it suits me and my methods. Sounds good. I filled the machine with three gallons of water (tap water for the spray testing) and turned on the pump: It's hard to tell from the picture, but the spray seemed to more than cover the surface of the lid. Next I inspected/removed the grommets from the top and the side of the base (notice the two small solid ones in the base? They are to install air lines when you convert over to a grow machine): The big grommet that the pump cord goes through was pretty easy to remove, re-installing it was a whole nother story. I had to work at it for about ten minutes to get this thing back in. Golden Grow's only tip was to practice. So if you don't have strong fingers, you might want to avoid removing it until you have some help or patience. Needless to say, I'm pretty sure they won't leak. The ten gallon tub is made of pretty thick plastic and is a lot stronger than it looks. I wanted to test it for being light proof. I don't think being 100 % opaque is real important for a clone machine, but for some of you using it to grow in, it might be a factor. Testing it to see if it is light proof: Well I think the pictures speaks for itself. It is not light proof. I don't think you will be growing any algae if you use pure water to make clones. Not so sure how it will play out as a grow machine using a nutrient rich solution. I washed everything with a 1 part bleach for every 9 parts water solution. I am told that this unit is dishwasher safe. I might have to remove the top rack in my dishwasher to do this, so I just cleaned it the old fashion way. Let's make some clones! Using cuttings from my White Widow mother, it takes me about ten days or so to get roots using my home made clone machine . I will take clones the same way that I normally do: Make sure you use clean sterile tools while taking your cuttings. Try not to touch the fresh cut end. After filling the base with three gallons of RO water, I started inserting the new cuttings into the lid. I tried to place cuttings all over the machine lid, but did not have enough to fill it. It should be enough to test most of the surface. Filling the machine and installing cuttings: Seven days later... : All the clones have started rooting. Not enough to transplant just yet. A few leaves have turned yellow, but that is normal for my setup and strain. I changed the water and added 25% veg solution. Seven days later (fourteen days total): Ok, I think it works! Besides the obvious root growth, I got a lot of new upward growth. The plant size doubled over the past seven days. Kinda sad that most of the clones are going in the fireplace (am I the only one who gets sad about this? ) We will be replacing our mother plant with one, and four will go to test the grow machine (another thread coming soon). Conclusion........... I like the machine and how well engineered everything is. The Machine did not leak a drop of water from the lid or the sides. And it makes clones ready to use in about fourteen days. It is ideal for a small grow or even a larger operation. If my wife let me use the dishwasher it would be a snap to clean. The price is par with other quality clone machines and even less then the most popular production models. I still think if you are a closet grower (less than six plants) and can use a power drill, you can make a quality clone machine for less cash. I'm so impressed/inspired that a guy from this forum can take an idea like a seed then grow it into a high quality product. All from a simple concept. Pros: Makes clones very quickly Works right out of the box Water tight Very simple to use Easy to clean Upgradeable to a complete hydroponic grow machine Simple to move around Built very solid Great design Cons: It's not light proof Might be overkill for a small operation You could build a smaller version for less than half the price. The guys at Golden Grow agreed to allow me to donate (on their behalf) the machine used in this test to a real medical grow operation. Peace, R
That's a real nice looking set up, very professional looking. Way too expensive for the likes of me but I have no trouble making them myself and I only need to clone a few at a time. For someone who isn't too handy it looks great. Although I find it surprising that they didn't make the box black
It would be nice to have it white but light proof. But I don't think a clone machine needs to be opaque. My first retail clone machine (Botanicare $200) was a real thin white PVC tub. You did not need to put a light in it to know it was not light proof. I could see the black pump through the walls of the base. It worked fine and never had an issue with slime.
On behalf of Golden Grow, Inc., I'd like to thank Rumple for his thorough and thoughtful assessment and feedback. We all learn and grow as a community, and Rumple and his DIY threads are a great example of this. He has been a great testing partner and I greatly value his honest, straightforward contributions. In that spirit of collaboration and learning, I'd like to provide some additional information related to the concerns raised by Rumple. 1.It's not light proof. This is absolutely true. While the 2.4mm HDPE reservoir and lid block 97-98% of all light, a small amount of light is transmitted through the material. If you're using a 125w T5 or CFL, your light output ranges from 5000-10,000 lux, depending on how close your lights are to your canopy. That translates to about 100-200 lux inside the box. If you leave the reservoir in direct sunlight at the sun's brightest level, you might get up to 650-2000 lux inside the reservoir. The idea behind restricting light at the root zone is to limit the growth of algae blooms. Our clone system mitigates algal growth in several ways: a. Light restriction: Not enough light reaches the root zone to trigger algal growth. Algae needs (among other things) 5000-10,000 lux to grow properly in a system of this size, and our reservoir only allows 2% of available light to pass through, to a maximum of 2000 lux in the brightest full sunlight. That's less than half the light needed to grow algae in our reservoir. Further, if you have any kind of leaf canopy in place, even less light will reach the inside of the reservoir. b. Nutrient restriction: Algae feed on nutrients like all plants. We are not adding any nutrients (particularly nitrogen) to the reservoir during the cloning phase. c. Water replacement: This is the trump card. Water in the reservoir is replaced every week (no more than 10 days). There simply isn't enough time for algae to significantly reproduce before it's flushed from the system. Even if somehow you gave the algae everything it wanted in terms of light and nutrients, it wouldn't have time to grow. Needless to say, our system is NOT a good place to grow algae. On the flip side, the white material that we use reflects heat. The material, in tandem with a low-power (yet high-output) pump means that the temperature of the water inside the reservoir is +/- 2 degrees from the ambient temperature outside the reservoir. Some of our competitors with all-black material and higher power (and less efficient) pumps run 10 to 15 degrees above ambient temperature. This high temperature contributes greatly to other root-zone problems. 2.Might be overkill for a small operation 3.You could build a smaller version for less than half the price. I see these two items as two halves of the same coin, and I also generally agree. I started Golden Grow, Inc. as a DIYer, and that spirit very much informs the way I approach all of my projects. Like many of you, I often find myself in the hardware store perusing parts and pieces, wondering if they could fit together to serve my need (with a little modification on the workbench, of course). I've spent hours combing the Internet looking for that perfect piece- that grommet, that piece of molding, that specialty fitting that you have to order 500 of just to get the 3 that you need. I've been there. Heck, I still do that! To honor that spirit of doing stuff on your own, I offer a selection of parts and pieces that you can use in your own gear. Do you have your own bucket and a Forstner bit? Awesome, I have a plumbing kit ready for you to install in your own Homer bucket for about $50 that includes the pump, manifold, and sprayers. Do you just need the grommets or the neoprene inserts? We sell those too for less than a buck per site. I'm really proud of our specialty reservoirs, lids, and plumbing parts. If you are shopping with me, and your shopping cart starts to look like you're buying a complete system, I recommend you have a look at the cloner that Rumple reviewed here. It'll save you a few bucks, and probably more than a few hours of measuring, cutting, tapping and de-burring those holes. Either way, I've got you covered. Incidentally, if there's a piece you want to buy but don't see it listed, send me a note and we'll figure something out.
I think the light proof part might come into play as a grow machine. As a clone machine everything was clean inside.
There you go Rumple ...should have got a copyright or patent on that DIY model of your lol ...lol good review too!
No kidding. I have had a Rumple bucket for years. Works flawless, and I have seen quite a few other people with them. "Rumple bucket" is almost the generic term for a cloner around here. Good trustworthy review you gotta love that. I do like the fact they sell separate parts like gromets, or a whole parts pack for the diy'er. Very cool.
" Rumple Bucket" .. yeah I like that $9.95 and any home depot or good grow shop, puts some cents(lol) into this thread